The Other Half of Johnny Lightning's Classic Gold Series 2

Obscure cars for the win.

That's why Johnny Lightning and the rest of the Round 2 brands are so appealing. It's like you're building an encyclopedia of all the American cars ever made when you collect these. Here we have the '73 Pontiac GTO (not often done in diecast), Chevy Vega Wagon, and Dodge Warlock. Three more models that I didn't previously have. I've got a handful of GTOs but none of them are the '73. I've got the Vega, but not in wagon form. The truck, although one that I could've done without, is a complete unknown to me, but I expect this one will be among the most popular of the series.

These should either have arrived or be arriving at local stores soon. My local Toys"R"Us just restocked a new case of these a few days ago, after I wiped them out last week. The ones left over? The Monza, surprisingly, and the Vega Wagon.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Scoring An Auto World Ultra Red 'Bird

Good fortune has been on my side lately.

And yes, I'm back to posting about sixty-fourths at last. I swear I'm sitting on a giant pile of tiny cars that I've accumulated in the past couple weeks. A bunch of 1/64 models, various brands, all kinds of vehicles. The usual case of brand and model diversity with me. Let's get to it.

This is Auto World's 1975 Pontiac Firebird T/A from Release 4, in Ultra Red form. If you don't know what an Ultra Red is, it's like a $uper Treasure Hunt for the Auto World. If you don't know what Auto World is, then you need help. You're missing out on, hands down, the best diecast brand you can find stateside. You don't get better bang (quality, detail, etc.) for your buck. Check it out.

An Ultra Red is a rare color variant of any Auto World release. All you have to do is look for the shiny candy apple red color, but don't get mixed up with releases that normally come in any shade of red. You'll notice immediately that the color of the car doesn't match what's shown on the packaging. Auto World doesn't have a large following of hoarders the way the Mattel brands do, which means your chances of finding an Ultra Red are very good if you keep looking. In the past eight or so years of collecting, how many $uper Treasure Hunts have I found in the wild? Zero. How many Ultra Reds have I found in the past year alone? Two.

Go get 'em.

What I like most about Ultra Reds is that Auto World keeps them realistic. The other brands (Greenlight, M2 Machines, etc.) make their "chase" cars uglier than their normal versions, typically opting for brightly colored tires and flashy trim. I've passed on Green Machines before because I knew I wouldn't be able to look at them without puking. These Ultra Reds are keepers. And the only way to do them justice is to free them.

Oh, and just for fun, I'm throwing in the other Ultra Red in my collection. It's a good one.

...and then paired with the regular release of this model, in silver.

From the Playing Mantis Vault: Finding Vintage Johnny Lightning's in 2016, Part 2

March 9, 2016:

Lightning strikes again.

Not a lightning strike as in the chase piece, but it may as well have been one. A second "From the Playing Mantis Vault..." sighting. This time, it's a 1964 Pontiac GTO in a shade of faint, olive green. Is it green or is it gold? You decide.

April 3, 2016:

A third vintage Johnny Lightning sighting.

This pair were found at the same Toys"R"Us store where I found my first "From the Playing Mantis Vault..." releases. That tells me one very important thing: these do get restocked. Did a collector in your area grab them before you got there? If so, don't give up. Keep checking and you might eventually find some.

Part three coming tomorrow! And it just might be the best one yet.